Are you getting the best value from your SIM-only plan? Award winning Aussie provider SpinTel says many Australians are paying too much per month on outdated plans.
SIM-only plans, while you just pay for the service not the device, have become hugely popular but they are not all created equal.
These plans usually come with no lock-in contracts and lower monthly fees (because you own your handset and are not paying it off).
They also offer more flexibility which gives customers the opportunity to switch providers if they find a better deal.
With cost of living pressures and rising smartphone prices, Australians are holding onto their devices even longer and that makes finding the right SIM-only plan even more important.
The first question we need to ask ourselves is: “Are we paying too much for our plan?”
The harsh reality is that many people are.
According to research carried out by Finder this year, the average postpaid mobile plan user consumes about 17GB of mobile data each month so moving to a mid-tier SIM only plan could greatly reduce your bill by as much as half.
There are a lot of SIM-only plans that offer hundreds of gigabytes of data.
This might be great to have but if you are not getting anywhere near your limit you’re literally paying for data you don’t use.
SpinTel is offering 25GB for just $14.00 per month for the first six months on the Optus network.
After six months it will return to its regular monthly price of $22.00 which is still quite competitive.
“We see a lot of people who signed up years ago and haven’t checked their usage since,” says SpinTel CEO Liam Bal.
“They’re paying for 60 or 80GB of data but only using a quarter of that.
“That’s where SIM-only plans are cost-effective, they’re flexible, affordable and built around real usage, not guesswork.
“At SpinTel, our focus is on simplicity.
All of our plans are 5G and you get the speed and coverage of a major network, with none of the fuss.”
But not all SIM only plans are created equal.
Customers should first check the network and make sure you have good coverage in the area here you live and work.
All the MVNO (mobile virtual network operators) use either the Telstra, Optus or Vodafone networks and on sell it to their customers.
In SpinTel’s case, it uses the Optus network and won Canstar’s 2025 Outstanding Value Award for SIM-only mobile plans.
It’s also a good idea to check your usage habits and see how much mobile data you actually use each month.
You can do this by using the companion app from your provider or check your latest bill.
If it’s been more than a year since you last reviewed your spend with your SIM-only plan then it’s time to do the research that could save you hundreds of dollars.
And, of course, you don’t need to change your number if you do decide to switch providers.
